Integrated silica micro-opto-electromechanical steering device for laser beam scanning

We present a microsteering device for laser beam, aimed at telemetry and obstacle detection applications. The operation range scales from visible to infrared wavelengths owing to silica structures, etched on silicon substrate. The design combines a steering system of microlenses driven by electrostatic actuation. This design, associated with silicon surface micromachining technology enables the production of more than 700 chips on a 100 mm diameter wafer. Furthermore, we highlight the simplicity of the process as the mechanical structure and optical axis move in the substrate plane. This paper describes the structure, technological process sequence and experimental results of the developed LD-scanner. (C) 1999 Elsevier Science S.A. All rights reserved.